Two girls claiming CU student status, Lauren and Ellie, are getting some major face time on YouTube with a dizzying video they made of a phone call to Sen. Michael Bennet’s office about “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”

Bennet got such a kick out of the girls using their dorm time to call his office that he made his own YouTube video in response. “Lauren and Ellie” are against the current military policy that can force out gay soldiers if their sexuality becomes known, referred to as “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Senate leader Harry Reid of Nevada has brought the issue up again by including an end to the policy in a defense budget authorization bill scheduled in coming weeks.

Lauren and Ellie, not exactly pros with the handheld camera, find a web site where they can call their senator, and end up getting Bennet’s voicemail.

Bennet’s video, with somewhat more steady camera work but lacking the collegial flair, has him thanking the girls and saying that yes, indeed, he also opposes don’t ask don’t tell and would vote to repeal it.

Update: My bad. This is OLD NEWS. The Post’s Lynn Bartels had this information in Saturday’s paper. Bizarrely, I even read Bartels story over the weekend, but somehow lost the information about the debate schedule. I blame Twitter for ruining my ability to concentrate.

Tom Tancredo will participate in most of the remaining gubernatorial debates.

Team Tanc spokeswoman Tara Arterburn says the newcomer to the American Constitution Party will debate Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican Dan Maes in at least seven debates and possibly the full remaining contingent of eight.

In an e-mail, Arterburn relates:

The Congressman’s scheduler tells me he is participating in the following debates:

Third-party candidate Tom Tancredo has snagged a few more Republican endorsements in his quest to become the next Republican governor.

Confusing, yes. But Tancredo, who abandoned the GOP to register with the American Constitution Party about two months ago, says he will govern as a Republican. And who knows? If he wins, he might change his affiliation back to Republican after taking office.

Former Republican U.S. Congressman Bob Schaffer
Former Republican State Senator Tom Wiens
Former Republican State Representative and Minority Leader Joe Stengel
Former Republican State Representative and former Arapahoe County Assessor Jim Reeves
Former Republican State Representative Lauri Clapp
Former Republican State Representative Ruth Prendergast
Former Republican State Representative Eric Prinzler
Former Democrat State Representative E.E. Casey Hayes
Republican Arapahoe County Commissioner Jim Dyer

Buck’s lead is virtually unchanged from a late August poll by the same organization, which found the two in the same statistical position, when Rasmussen included those “leaning” towards Bennet or Buck.

Bennet’s ads calling Buck too extreme for Colorado has become the hottest issue on the campaign trail, with the two trading jabs over the weekend at their first debate. Buck demanded Bennet take the ads down, and Bennet refused.

“Michael is going to continue to focus on common sense solutions for our economy and Ken Buck will focus on backtracking on his extreme record,” said Bennet spokesman Trevor Kincaid. “We have every confidence Coloradans will choose common sense over extremism when given the choice on the ballot.”

GOP Senate candidate Ken Buck released his first ad of the general election campaign and, contrary to what he promised earlier about running only positive ads, this television spot takes on incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet to task for lying about him.

“A rubber stamp for his friends in Washington, Bennet has legislated unemployment, spending money we don’t have on programs we don’t need,” Buck says in the commercial. “What’s the Ken Buck difference? I’ll do what’s right for Colorado.”

During the primary election season, Buck took pride in running a positive campaign against his then-opponent Jane Norton, though outside groups spent handsomely on his behalf on negative ads and mailers. Buck told the Post last week he wanted to keep his ads positive on the general election trail, too.

But his campaign says he feels compelled to defend himself against Bennet’s long-running ad, calling him an extremist. Media outlets have called the ad only partially true.

The ad has become a divisive issue in the campaign with Buck consistently pressing Bennet to take it down. Bennet’s campaign stands by the ad, which has been on air since Aug. 26.

“Another broken promise from Ken Buck, which is not surprising. Time and again Buck has gone back on his word and tried to hide his extreme positions,” said Trevor Kincaid, Bennet’s spokesman.

Then President Clinton picks up a light-weight racing bicycle presented to him as a gift from the recent Tour de France victor, Lance Armstrong, in 1999. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Republican Dan Maes’ comments about Denver, bikes and the United Nations have caught even the attention of former President Bill Clinton.

Salonreported that Clinton, in criticizing the Tea Party, mocked Maes, the GOP gubernatorial candidate, who is struggling for support.

“He says that the bike paths that have made Denver one of the healthiest cities in the country are a plot to turn over Colorado’s sovereignty to the United Nations,” Clinton said, then paused and chuckled.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.